Run review

Run is an Android app from Albino Blacksheep. The ad-supported game is now available for free on Google Play and carries no additional in-app purchases.

Run is a direct port of an Albino Blacksheep Flash game. The game follows the same style of other endless runners like Temple Run and Sonic Dash, where the player gets control of an always-running character who must be told when to jump and how to move. Unlike those other games, Run is much simpler. There’s no turning, no obstacles to avoid, and no structures to slide under. The only hazards present are holes, which can be jumped over or ran around. The other key difference between Run and other runners is the ability to shift the field. By running toward the wall, players can rotate the field, which makes avoiding gaps much easier.

That isn’t to say Run is a difficult game to begin with. Most players won’t face any struggle due to difficulty level. Run feels much slower than similar titles, making it easier to react to upcoming hazards. Players will have more than enough time to notice gaps in the road and have more than enough time deciding if they want to jump, swerve, or rotate around them. As players progress through the game, either in the level-based or infinite modes, the game gets a bit harder, but its speed is more than reasonable for most players to deal with.

Just because it’s slow doesn’t mean players won’t die. In fact, players are likely to die, and die a lot. Since Run is a direct port of a Flash game, the only noticeable change is the buttons for moving and jumping, replacing the keyboard controls of the Flash game. The problem with these controls is that they’re frequently unresponsive or delayed. The precision required for a button to register is likely to cause numerous headaches for players, and when a press does register, it occasionally takes a second to activate. These controls will lead to a boatload of failures for players. Luckily, there’s no serious penalty for falling down holes — users will instantly restart the level, which is typically short. Then, there’s the issue of the game asking players to press the “r” key to restart a level, a feature obviously not removed in the mobile version of the game.

This laundry list of technical and design problems is likely to turn most players away. On the positive side, Run is a free game with no in-app purchases. It monetizes through ads at the top of the screen, but they’re not very noticeable and they can be closed with the press of a button. Run is a very basic game that uses a popular formula and adds a new feature. The overall lack of polish will turn off more players than it brings in, and those who adapt to the technical hiccups will find a slow-paced game with little difficulty. There’s not much here to keep players interested.

You can follow Run’s progress on AppData, our tracking tool for mobile and social apps and developers.